The history of development of our country in post independence era is a mix of hopes and despairs. It has also been a period of learning by error. In the chequered history of the State, we have many a time gone through discomforting situations. However, success and failure are part of the game. As long as a nation is determined to move forward and remain undeterred by failures, nobody can stop it from scaling new heights of progress and growth. A recurrent phenomenon of our State has been the complaint of Jammu and Ladakh regions that they have remained neglected for development and equitable distribution of resources. Sometimes the discrimination psyche would be reflected in public protests and strikes on the eve of the Durbar move to the winter capital. The protest psyche may or may not have changed or influenced policy planning, nevertheless it invariably left a bad taste in the mouth.
Fully conscious of this syndrome, the Chief Minister has made a thoughtful move of visiting Jammu region ahead of Durbar move and attended several functions in the city and various places in the region where he announced a slew of developmental schemes specifically focused on Jammu region. An overview of the schemes under his consideration, some of which he is personally monitoring, shows that these are good and attractive schemes that would lead to transforming Jammu into a modern city through considered planning and vision of which the Chief Minister himself is the architect. Amicable resolution of Ranjit Sagar Dam with Punjab Government and future development of the site for tourism is no small an achievement.
A good number of projects have been announced by him during his public functions whether at Kathua or at the Sidhra Golf Course inauguration. He has announced the decision of his Government to go ahead with three-tier Panchayat elections in early next year. These have to be with a difference. He has committed himself to full empowerment of the Panchayats and making these autonomous in letter and in spirit. This is to strengthen and stabilize democratic dispensation in the State and boost decentralization of power. Municipal elections, not held since 2005, will follow Panchayat elections. He has promised empowerment and elevation of the Municipal Corporations of Jammu and Srinagar to the level of three Corporations of Delhi. This is to make them fully autonomous with self-generating resources.
For Jammu in particular, the Chief Minister has a vision encompassing many facets of development. Some of them are: two fly-over bridges, 6-storeyed modern parking structure at Jammu bus stand with a capacity of 1300 vehicles, developing international yoga centre at Mantalai, creating Basohli Development Authority, double laning of Lakhanpur-Ranjit Sagar Dam 19 kilometers road at a cost of Rs 43.49 crores, developing Surinsar-Mansar on the model of Patnitop and giving good boost to Jammu tourism and many more useful projects.
This is good news for the people of Jammu region. However, it has to be pointed out that the previous Governments already announced most of the projects, whose rebooting is now announced by Mufti Mohd. Sayeed. These are not strictly new schemes under contemplation. However, the issue is that the previous Governments only laid the foundation and did not carry forward the plan. This is very much in the knowledge of CM Mufti Mohd. Sayeed and he has even hinted at in one of his speeches. Our apprehensions are that the announcement of the Chief Minister should not meet the same fate that was there during the rule of previous Governments. We think that the Chief Minister and his Government should be very clear on the point of funding of these projects. No doubt, the Chief Minister has thanked the PM for frugal granting of funds for rebuilding the State, however the schemes announced during his pre-Durbar move tours and public addresses in Jammu are commitments, which his Government shall have to fulfill at its proper time. The Chief Minister has been very euphoric about the new 9-Point Golf Course in Sidhra calling it comparable with any advanced Golf Course. This again is a good news but we would like that the peripheries of the site are converted into a big public excursion and recreation spot also where ordinary people not rich enough to enjoy the luxury of playing golf, can come and enjoy moments of sitting and breathing fresh air in the lap of nature. They also deserve recreational facilities.
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